For the past three semesters, I have been lucky enough to be a part of the Media, Self, and Society program within College Park Scholars. As the title implies, I have learned and recognized the role media plays in both my life and society as a whole. Going into freshman year, I had never given substantial thought to how and why media affects society. Three semesters later, I can now clearly see that media is meant to act as a messenger but often acts as a molder or shaper instead. I have also come to understand that social media is not the only aspect of media that plays a role in my life. Entertainment, all forms of news, and digital communication all fall under the category of media and impact my life in various ways.
Recently, I have delved even deeper into my analysis of media content. For our Week 12 and 13 activity, I discussed Black Panther with two of my fellow Media Scholars. When analyzing this movie, we looked through a lens of race and gender. In the United States, there are harmful stereotypes about both black people and women. Black Panther seeks to redress these stereotypes in a noteworthy way. One of the main characters in this blockbuster movie is Nakia, the sister of T’Challa. She is extremely smart and well-versed in all things technology. Her character defies two stereotypes at once. For one, women are not often seen in roles that are STEM-related or require high intelligence. Also, a common belief in the United States is that black people are not as smart as their white counterparts. This is obviously untrue, and Nakia’s intellect proves that. Black Panther also shatters the stereotype that all of Africa is full of only struggling, low-developed communities. Wakanda, the nation of T’Challa and his family, is an extremely advanced society. It is so important to recognize and dispel these stereotypes because it enables us to grow as a society. Most forms of entertainment do not have diverse and nuanced characters, which is an issue I have come to be extremely aware of due to my classes in Media, Self, and Society.
This is an image taken on September 28th, 2019 when we went into D.C. to go to the Newseum. I thoroughly enjoyed this trip because of what I saw in the Newseum, but also because it gave me a chance to get to know my fellow media scholars better.
Throughout my time in the Media program, I have also been more aware about how harmful it can be to get all your news from social media. For one, misinformation is abundant on Twitter, Facebook and other apps. There are so many types of misinformation: parody or satire, misleading content, imposter content, fabricated content, false connection, false context, and manipulated content. I distinctly remember watching deep fakes, a form of manipulated content, during our first semester and being shocked at how real they seemed. Misinformation is not the only danger of obtaining news from social media. Something that is not as obvious is filter bubbles. These occur due to the people and posts one follows and likes. The algorithm of all social media apps feed you content with similar ideas or people to what you already interact with. Filter bubbles are harmful because they do not force anyone to challenge their own opinions. Rather, they reinforce opinions and polarize people on opposite ends. Although it is comfortable to only see content you agree with, it makes you less open to other perspectives and less open to analyzing your own beliefs. I learned about filter bubbles in CPMS100 and it is something I have become very conscious of since.
Before College Park Scholars I was definitely a passive consumer. I watched and read content and let it just wash over me. Now, I analyze and reflect on most media that I consume. I watch movies and shows more critically now to see if there is any social commentary and if there is accurate representation of minoritites. When I watch or read the news, I am much more aware of biases and possible misinformation. This has taught me how important it is to fact check, use only credible sources, and understand ulterior motives. Being a critical consumer is so important to me because media is such a large part of all of our lives. If we neglect to analyze and reflect, we are limiting our perspectives and allowing ourselves to let others think for ourselves. These past three semesters of CPMS have brought that to light and encouraged me to be a critical consumer of media.
One of my favorite aspects of being in Scholars is the collaborative learning. The discussions we had during class were so valuable because I was able to hear and reflect upon my classmates’ ideas and perspectives. I often came across people who thought differently than me and this challenged me to examine my own thoughts and opinions. Being a part of a living-learning community aided my learning in a couple of other ways as well. For one, the class environment was always very comfortable and welcoming. I was able to share my ideas without feeling any judgement from my professors or peers, which is something I occasionally struggle with in other classes. I also enjoyed being a part of a living-learning community because I was able to partake in collaborative projects. This past semester, we had weekly activities that I completed with two of my fellow media scholars. Working weekly with my peers was so beneficial because teamwork and collaboration are important skills that I will need to use for the rest of my time as a student and in my career. These skills, along with the different perspectives I was exposed to in discussions, have helped me grow both academically and personally.
My freshman year roommate and I posing with Testudo at the annual Flash Mob game. This was only one of the many basketball games I attended last year!
Throughout the past three semesters, I have had many opportunities to contribute to the Media Program. Other than participating in discussions, I took part in activities and field trips. The activity that I enjoyed the most was trivia night in the Cambridge Community Center. This event was open to students of all Scholars programs. I enjoyed meeting new people within my community and partaking in such a fun night. Of the many field trips I attended, it is hard to choose which one was my favorite because they were all special in their own ways. However, one that stands out to me is the Newseum. It was amazing to see a full museum dedicated to just the media. I still remember my favorite exhibit, which had TVs lined up along the wall broadcasting the biggest news of each decade. These activities and field trips truly made me feel like an active Media Scholar.
My Scholars experience will inform my future in so many ways. For one, the skills and knowledge I learned during class will be extremely useful for my Marketing major. I have learned the role consumers play and I have practiced analyzing media in all forms. The many collaborative experiences I obtained will be with me for the rest of my life, both as a student and in my professional career. Overall, Media Scholars has given me new skills and information that I am excited to use everyday.
This photo is from September 19th, 2020. I went into D.C. with two of my friends to get a change of scenery and take advantage of the beautiful city so close to campus. Don’t worry, masks were put right back on after the picture was taken!